From High Sierra Topix post INYO-SEKI SAR / Overdue Hiker Search in Progress
Quote:
Hi All. I appreciate everyone's weather & condition observations. From weather data and a few JMT hikers going through on the west side, it confirms conditions on Saturday (very high winds and, in the search area, some prcip though not major) and Sunday (serous prcip/snow and extreme winds) west of the crest. Mammoth Mountain anemometer (11,000') showed sustained gusts of over 100mph after 1PM (maxed at 116mph). Because of incoming weather, searchers came out Saturday night but teams will return if conditions allow today or tomorrow. Weather, though, is again going to limit both ground and air search later this week.

I'm unable to post the search maps right now but this has been an incredibly extensive search with very good ground coverage on both the east side and west side of Bishop Pass. Sunday we (NPS) went over each section looking for holes in our search pattern. Areas were identified for follow up. I'll try to get permission to post a coverage map (tracklogs of searchers). It gives a really good visual of what goes into a search. Most of the ground teams are volunteers from a number of California county search and rescue teams who spend countless hours in training in addition to being available to show up with incidents like this occur. Also involved are Yosemite SAR and their helicopter as well as a National Guard Chinook. Darned impressive effort & people involved!

Anyway, thanks to everyone for your continued observations and first-hand accounts. I'll update here as I can.

George Durkee
NPS Sequoia Kings SAR